The Danube's Christmas Markets 2024: Vienna to Budapest

Travel to Vienna and embark Spirit of the Danube.

Depart Vienna, 0200.
Arrive Melk, 1400. Depart 2000.

This historic town features architectural styles from across the centuries. Its jewel is the abbey which sits on a bluff above the town. This masterpiece of baroque architecture, the spiritual and cultural centre of Austria for more than 1,000 years, can be visited on an included excursion followed by an independent visit to Melk’s Christmas market.

Arrive 0800. Depart 2200.

Vienna is the capital of Austria: home to the waltz, coffee houses, the Prater wheel and one of the world's finest opera houses. It is the city where Marie Antoinette grew up and where Mozart died, and for 600 years was the centre of the Hapsburg Empire.

An included excursion this morning will reveal the highlights of the city, including the Ringstrasse and Opera House, before taking you to the Krippenmarkt, December market, to browse the stalls independently. Various objets d’art, silver jewellery, enamel and ceramics can be purchased here. The Spittelberg quarter in the Neubau district is home to Biedermeier-style buildings occupied by bars and restaurants.

Arrive 0800. Depart 2000.

Arrive this morning in Slovakia's capital where the streets will be adorned with twinkling lights and Christmas trees.

The city’s Christmas market, usually held at the Main Square and Hviezdoslav Square, has numerous stalls laden with tempting goodies for you to browse independently. Perhaps treat yourself to a mug of mead or steaming mulled wine while enjoying the festive atmosphere.

Arrive 0900.

Budapest is a city made up of two parts: Buda and Pest, built on opposite banks of the Danube. The cities have been officially united since 1873, but they are still very different in character. Buda is the older and more graceful, with its cobbled streets, medieval architecture and UNESCO-listed Buda Castle, while Pest is the administrative and commercial centre, with wide avenues and 19th-century public buildings.

Vörösmarty Square hosts the city’s oldest and largest Christmas market where countless food merchants and craft vendors sell their wares. This venue is popular with Hungarian musicians who can often be heard entertaining the shoppers. Enjoy an included transfer to the Christmas market, where you can explore the stalls independently.

Disembark and travel to the airport for your return flight.